It’s been a long long time since I sat down to write about the tunes that have been catching my ear over the past while, so when our pals in The Town Heroes dropped their latest single “In Your Head”, it was time to dust off the keyboard and headphones and to let you in on what I’ve been pumping through the headphones. Let’s do this hockey!
The Town Heroes – “In your Head”
The latest release from Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis might be one of the most electro-forward tracks the band has released, so much so it reminded this listener of Rich Aucoin at points. Throughout the single, the track slowly takes on a buoyancy in a similar fashion to that of a balloon, as it start outs with a familiar Town Heroes heft with Bruce’s drums, and a thick bass line at the forefront, but then Mike’s immediately recognizable vocal comes in and we’re off and rolling down the runway. Then the chorus comes on towards the back third, allowing the fellas to enjoy a brief jam session before it lifts off and you hear the atmospheric vocals of the incomparable Tori Cameron soaring around the aural expanse. It’s an infectious track, that concert goers should be able to hear next weekend as the Town Heroes are headlining the Marquee Ballroom with some great supporting acts in Skunk Motel, Elyse Aeryn and Jackson Weldon.
Noah Kahan – “Stick Season”
This is one that snuck up on me, as I had been hearing it on the radio for months now, and every time it came on, it caught my ear, but never enough to implore me to dig deeper. “Stick Season” was the track that I first heard, and its follow up “Dial Drunk” is just as catchy, but it wasn’t until this singer-songwriter from the northeastern-US started selling out massive venues that I looked into exactly who he is. Needlessly to say, his indie-folk singer-songwriter vibe falls squarely into my wheelhouse, and has been getting more and more airplay on my headphones. If you’re into The Lumineers and Mumford and Sons, then Noah Kahan is right up your alley.
Sam Roberts Band – “Shapeshifters”
As someone who was on the Sam Roberts Band bandwagon back in those early days, and had the debut album We Were Born in a Flame on repeat, I may have burnt myself out on those tracks such as “Hard Road”, “Brother Down” and “Don’t Walk Away Eileen”. But this nearly 10 year old single from SRB’s Lo-Fantasy is still a synthy indie-rock bop. While it didn’t make the setlist on the band’s recent stop in Halifax, the track is still one to throw on and crank up the volume to.
Zach Bryan (w/ The War and Treaty) – “Hey Driver”
Aside from Noah Kahan, there isn’t another artist who has burst on the scene with quite the same Midas-touch as Zach Bryan. He is something of a country music throwback, with more in common with someone like Chris Stapleton than Florida Georgia Line. There is a weight and conviction behind the gravelly voice that was lacking in a lot of that summery Country-bro music. This track is off of his self-titled LP, which will more than likely find itself on many year-end best-of lists.
Zach Bryan (Feat. The Lumineers) – “Spotless”
This is the other track off of that self-titled album that firmly wedged itself in my ears. There is a simplicity and rawness here that makes this so appealing. There is no glitz or glamour here, a stripped down production that allows the songwriting to shine. This is a track that I have spun a great deal since its release, and it still retains that same shine. Do yourself a favour and toss on this track.
